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Startup founder. I hold a B.S in Computer Science and have extensive experience and interest in technology, e-commerce, cryptocurrencies and online advertising industry (ad-tech). I worked with leading companies like Softbit, MediaFem, OLX Group, and Telecom. I am living in London, UK.

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Intervieving candidates for your startup. List of complicated questions you can ask in a job interview

These questions will try to confuse you, but, with a little preparation, you can give answers that impress.

I like a conversation that gives to think as well as anyone, but when one is trying to give the best of himself in a job interview, it is possible that he is holding his breath, waiting for the worst question. In the spirit of preparing for a job interview, we put together some of the most difficult job interview questions.

If you are the interviewee, prepare yourself for these or similar questions. If you are the one that contracts, we will not blame you for incorporating a few of these to your own list.

What is the wrong thing about your people?

This is what one of the members of our team describes as an “introspective question”, and there are similar ones that appear, such as:

Tell me about a judgment error you made last year? What was its impact?

When have you been most satisfied in your life?

The objective of these questions is to know to what extent you are aware of yourself, but also if you are willing to talk about failures and mistakes. You should be able to honestly share some experiences, but also focus on turning those negative experiences into positive ones. For example, that error of last judgment should have made a better worker in some way. (It was not so?)

What tasks do you like to do?

Similar to other introspective questions, here is a key distinction: with this question the interviewer seeks to know a little more about his work style. Is it rather an independent worker? Enthusiast of group projects? But also if you are aware of how you work best. Because they want to hire someone who knows how to ask for what they need to perform.

Start by focusing on a weakness that you have recognized in yourself such as “I was never comfortable in front of many people, so I always fear to speak in public or make presentations at very large meetings.” Then explain how you have worked to improve those weaknesses. “It bothered me so much to speak in public, so I decided to take a course, and I realized that improving in that sense is essential for my career.” And it ends with something like: “Although it’s still something I do not totally enjoy, I feel much more comfortable in roles that require doing it.”

This shows that he is willing and open to do things that he does not like, because we say things as they are, no job is always fun.

What are you currently reading?

When I sat down to write this article, three out of every five people I asked said they had asked this question. Me too. So it’s clearly popular among hiring managers, even if it seems incongruous.

You can include some details of the novel or the memories you have on your bedside table -it is a great way to show personality, which will make your interviewer more inclined to connect with you- but we also recommend that you relate it to your career. Mention some blogs that you visit regularly that have to do with the sector in which you work. Talk about a recent article you read about an issue that relates to your professional interests. This shows the interviewer that he is a reader and also passionate about the work he does or wants to do for them.

Other examples:

What issues should the team consider when evaluating the value of the XYZ company product line?

If hired, what would you like to change of our company / your department?

This has to do with showing a clear knowledge of the goals and interests of the company, as well as an intelligent critical eye. Be as specific as you can when speaking and do not be afraid to ask your interviewer questions to clarify. Think: I saw on your site that you are expanding to online courses along with your live events. Is it something you are planning for the next few months? [Answer] “In that case I would say that I want to devote a good portion of the marketing budget to that because.” It also does not hurt to mention teamwork and consulting to get the job done.

Every interviewer likes to hear him say: “But before deciding anything, I would like to talk to all those interested and know their objectives a little better.”

What is this blank period in your CV?

He may have been fired, or he took time to raise a child or to travel. If an interviewer notices a period not covered, probably ask for it.

Especially if you were fired, it is essential that your response be succinct and focus on how you took control of the situation and why you are ready to go back to work. A good way to handle this is to focus on the things you learned in your vacated period. An example of an answer could be: “This was really a great experience for me in an unexpected way, because I started to do freelance marketing projects and I quickly noticed that I am fascinated by growth strategies through social networks, something in the that I could not concentrate on my previous work. ”

What do you dislike most about your current job?

Probably at this point he knows he should not criticize his current company or boss, so what happens when a question like this appears? This is a good time to adopt the “it’s not them but me” approach and focus on why you do not fit well. Talk about some of your greatest abilities or the projects that you liked the most, in which you could not work enough. Say you are looking for a job that allows you to use those skills more often. Whatever your response to what you “dislike most” should be something that the new work would solve, but it should also be something for which you need help (that is not all about you).

What would be the ideal work day for you?

This is complicated because there are often subtle job expectations that companies do not talk about. Maybe people do not go out to lunch or stay late a few nights a month to finish big projects. That’s where the thing can get hairy. (Does one say “I like to work with flexible hours and maintain a good balance between my work and my personal life on weekends” if you are not sure if the job actually has flexible hours?)

Look for inspiration in the notice offered by the job. Review everything they wrote before going to the interview. Also look at their online job opportunities page. This should give you a good idea of what the company’s culture is. It is possible that part of you submitted your application because you liked something of your culture, so talk about it. Besides, it is always good to say something like: “I know that we like to have a good balance between work and personal life and in an ideal universe we would all go home at the same time each day and we would not look at the mail outside of work. I also know that there are times when things are not like that “. We are all in it.

Why should we hire him?

This is a dangerous area, between self-assured and cocky, this essentially amounts to “What makes it special?” and “Why do we need it?”

Answer this question through a problem-solving approach. Through your research and even the interview, you must have discovered quite well what problems the company faces. Your answer should focus on how qualified you are to solve those issues.

What salary do you want?

Are you open to greater benefits/share options in exchange for a lower salary? (This is often specific to a startup, especially when interviewing someone who does not come from a startup.)